Please Pull Through
by Droiture LeReve
Summary: When Slippy is badly injured in a fight, Fox feels it's all his fault. Will Falco be able to bring Fox back from his own head? More importantly, will Slippy pull through? Rated M for violence and language.
1. Chapter 1

Note: Okay... I swear to God, I need to stop writing things like this. Oh God. I can see myself in therapy twenty years from now.

Look, I don't know jack-diddly-squat about the Star Fox universe, just what I've read on Wikipedia. So you know what, I want absolutely NO comments on this thing telling me things that I've done wrong. I don't care if say, Fox is Falco's mother, or if Krystal turns out to be a man. I don't care. I'll be labeling this as an AU just to curb them.

I don't own Star Fox and I never will. So don't ask.

Help me... The plot bunny... It's eating my soul...

--

**Chapter One **

The phone rang, prompting a groan from a blue avian in orange boxers laying on the couch.

"Damn! Come on, stop ringing, it's my damn day off!" He muttered. He reached over and picked it up. "This had _so _better be good." He snapped at the person on the other line.

_"Falco, Falco! Bad news, man, you've got to get here fast."_

"Fox? Man, what is it? It's my day off, and I kind of planned on sitting on my couch doing absolutely nothing today."

_"You won't want to just sit there when I tell you what happened last night."_

"Seriously, Fox, I don't care where you ended up taking that girl from the bar--"

_"No, not that! Though hearing that hurts a little, Falco, I thought we were buddies. Anyway, no! That's not it! Last night, after I left the bar, apparently someone turned on Slippy... It wasn't pretty, Falco."_

"What? What happened? What'd they do to Slippy?"

_"I dunno. Apparently the news crew said he's in the hospital. Bad shape. From what Steve said--"_

"Steve?"

_"The bartender. Never mind. Anyway, from what he said, there was tons of blood." _

"Dammit! Where is Slippy now?"

_"The hospital off of 23rd St. I'm waiting out front. Peppy is already in the waiting room but I don't get cell reception in there." _

"I'm on my way." Falco hung up the phone and began rushing to get himself dressed. He threw on a shirt that was pretty wrinkled and a pair of jeans he hadn't worn in forever. He jumped and hopped his way out of his apartment, trying to move and put his shoes on at the same time. He practically threw himself behind the wheel of his car and floored it.

He screeched to a halt in front of the hospital.

"Fox!"

"Falco!"

Falco jumped out of the car and ran to Fox. Wordlessly, Fox grabbed Falco's hand and dragged him through the hospital.

"Falco!"

"Peppy!"

"Falco, thank God you're here. Slippy's in bad shape. The doctor... The doctor doesn't know if he's going to make it."

"That's terrible. What happened?" Falco looked down at his hand. "Uh, Fox, you can let go now."

Fox jerked his hand away, mumbling an apology.

"Anyway, what happened?"

"After Fox left the bar, Slippy stayed behind to have a few more drinks. In a nutshell, he got into a fight and a big guy pulled out a knife."

Fox visibly stiffened as his mouth tightened into a thin line. He suppressed half-a-noise that sounded suspiciously like a sob.

"Fox?"

"It's my fault! I should have been there."

"Fox, don't blame yourself for this. You couldn't have seen into the future."

"But I could have stayed! I knew Slippy was drunk; I should have driven him home; I shouldn't have--"

Falco slapped Fox across the face once.

"Thanks. I needed that. Do it again."

Falco delivered another slap to Fox's cheek.

"Thanks." Fox finally said.

"No problem at all, my good man." Falco joked. "But, in all seriousness, Fox. It wasn't your fault. You're not psychic. You couldn't have seen into the future. You didn't know."

Fox shuddered violently in an attempt to not break out in tears. He was fearless, dammit! He's not gonna cry now!

Fox felt soft down cover his shoulders. He opened his eyes and saw that Falco had thrown an arm around him in a half-assed attempt to comfort him. Fox slumped a little but didn't say a word. Peppy fiddled with his fingers nervously.

A doctor slipped out of a side room.

"Fox McCloud and party?"

"That's us." Peppy replied for the silent Fox,

"Your friend Slippy is still critical, but his vitals are improving fast. The next 24 hours are important, but if he makes it past that, there's a good chance he'll survive."

There was a gathering of relieved whispers. Fox involuntarily leaned into Falco, breathing a sigh of relief.

"When can we see him?" Peppy asked.

"We'll call you when he's awake." The doctor left.

"Did you hear that, Fox? Slippy's gonna be okay." Falco said.

Fox nodded, tears of joy flitting down his muzzle. He buried his head in Falco's shoulder and tried to suppress his crying.

"Fox, just let it out. Quit bottling up yourself. All this time, you've been the fearless adventurer. The leader. The rock. It's time you were just Fox." Falco said. "I mean, really. All the time I've known you, I've never once seen you express sadness, or fear. Please, let it out. Go ahead. This is an old shirt anyway."

Peppy found it prudent to turn away and busy himself in a magazine.

Fox bit his lip and choked, "I can't. I don't know how."

"Fox..."

"I never knew! Now all this is going through my head and I don't understand it, Falco! Don't you understand? I'm still just a kid. Just... a kid..." He slumped once again against Falco's shoulder, breathing heavily.

"Fox, Slippy is going to be alright. You heard the doctor. If he makes it past tonight, he'll make it for good."

"But what if he doesn't?! What if he dies here? It would have been--"

"Fox, if you say 'it would have been my fault', I'll slap you again." Falco snapped.

"...I should have been there."

"But you weren't, and you couldn't have been. It was _not _your fault. It never will be your fault." Falco had Fox by the shoulders and was shaking him lightly. Fox had a blank stare in his eyes, as if he weren't really listening. His eyes were glassy and his breathing was labored.

"Fox? Fox, are you listening to me?"

Fox suddenly blacked out and went limp in Falco's arms with a gasping sound like a fish out of water.

"Whoa!" Falco exclaimed, steadying Fox.

Peppy looked up. "What happened?"

"He passed out."

"Understandable. He hasn't gotten any sleep since the incident."

Falco shook Fox lightly. "How do we wake him up?"

"Don't. Just let him stay there. It'll be the only sleep he's gotten yet today."

"Well, I can't just stand here holding him."

"Then put him on a chair or something." Falco lifted the unconscious vulpine off his feet and placed him in a waiting room chair, where he promptly slumped over and fell onto the armrest.

Falco looked at him. "I kind of feel bad for him."

"He really blames himself for this. He feels like it was all his fault. Let him sleep it off."

Falco looked at Peppy, then at Fox, then at the door where, he knew, somewhere behind, Slippy lay.

"Come on, Slippy, you've gotta pull through. Fox can't take it anymore." He muttered.


	2. Chapter 2

Note: Yesh. Chaptah Two!

I own no Star Fox. I own no Nintendo products at all.

So. Recap of the last chapter. Slippy's half-dead, Fox is unconscious, Falco's concerned, and Peppy's... Peppy. I dunno.

**Chapter Two**

Fox found everything becoming from a dark blur to... a blue blur? A blue and red blur? A blue, red, and yellow blur? That blinks? Fox's vision cleared to see Falco looking concernedly at him.

"Fox. Fox?"

"Hrmmm... Falco? Izzat you?"

"Yeah. You okay?"

"W'appened?"

"You fainted on me. You okay, Fox?"

"S-Slippy... Slippy! God, please tell me Slippy's alright." Fox jerked up from his seat, grabbing Falco's shoulders tight, forcing the bird to sink to his knees in order to avoid permanent nerve damage.

"Fox, we don't know yet. Ow! Hurting me!"

Fox's hands shook.

Peppy came in to intervene and pulled Fox's trembling fingers off of Falco.

"Fox, calm down! Look, we've received no word of Slippy's condition. He's still in surgery." Peppy said, gently putting Fox's hands back on his lap. Falco sat in the chair next to Fox and slung his arm around him again.

"S-Sorry, guys. I must look like a complete wuss right now." Fox choked.

"Fox, you're not a wuss." Falco replied. "We all want Slippy to pull through."

"Falco, you don't mind if I use your wing as a pillow, do you?" Fox yawned.

"Go right ahead." Falco replied, letting Fox lean on his shoulder and fall asleep once again. Falco flicked his wrist and spread out his feathers to cover more of Fox like a downy blanket. Fox shifted his weight slightly, and quiet snores came from his muzzle.

"Falco, just look at him. He's tearing himself apart over this." Peppy said quietly.

"I know. That's why, just for now, I'm gonna help him any way I can. Peppy, Fox and I are best friends. I've known him since... ever! I honestly can't remember when we first met, it was so damn long ago." Falco let out a squawking laugh, "I can't stand him like this. He's so sad. He's so... down. I want to raise him back up. I want to put him back on that pedestal he was always on."

"It sounds like you hold him in high regard."

"I do. I hold him in the highest regard possible. Peppy..."

Falco looked down at Fox, sleeping on his shoulder.

"I love Fox. He's like the closest friend I've ever had."

"I understand." Peppy replied. "You feel so strongly for him that you can't stand to see him in this state."

"Don't get me wrong, I mean, I've got a girlfriend, but Fox is one of the most important people in my life." Falco lied. He didn't have a girlfriend. But Peppy didn't need to know that. Shhh! If we're quiet, he'll never know.

"Slippy, please pull through..." Peppy whispered, sitting down on a chair opposite Falco.

"Slippy will. He's tough, our Slippy. He won't die on us. I just know it."

"Yeah... but Fox doesn't." Peppy pointed out, reaching over to gently ruffle his fingers in Fox's fur.

"I know. That's what worries me the most. Now, if you'll excuse me, I need some sleep as well." Falco slumped over Fox and closed his eyes, using the canine's head like a pillow. Fox's ears slid back at the contact.

Peppy sighed. Now, not only was his best friend in the hospital, but now he had no one to talk to.

The doctor came back out from the side.

"Fox Mc-Oh, he's asleep." The doctor looked at Peppy. "Are you with the Fox McCloud party?"

"Yep. My name is Peppy."

"Your friend Slippy's condition is improving fast. His survival chance has risen from 24 to 68 in the last few hours. It's staggering. Our specialists don't even understand it. It can only be described as miraculous."

"That's fantastic! Wait 'till I tell Fox and Falco!"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, there, little bunny. Don't get your hopes up. He's making a miraculous recovery, but that's dangerous too. Healing _too _fast can hurt too. His body is overcompensating for the injuries."

"What's that mean?"

"It means he's healing himself too fast and his muscles can't take it. His heart might fail if we don't stabilize him soon."

Peppy sputtered, "Well, what are you waiting for?! Stabilize him!"

"That's what we're doing now, sir." With that, the doctor left.

It was another hour before Fox woke up. He realized he was practically using his best friend as a mattress and blushed heavily.

"Um, hi, Peppy."

"Hey, Fox. You feeling better?"

"A bit. How long's Falco been out?"

"He fell asleep about ten minutes after you did. Fox, I have good news and bad news."

"Gimme the bad news first."

"It'll make more sense if I give you the good news first."

"Then gimme the good news first!"

"The good news is that Slippy's making a crazy-fast recovery."

". . . And the bad news?" Fox asked a little nervously. If the good news was _that_ good, the bad news must be terrible. Good-news-bad-news reports _always _went on the exact opposite end of the spectrum from each other. If the good news was three notches up the good meter, the bad news was three notches down the bad meter. It was nature's way.

"It's too fast. Doctor says his heart's going to fail."

Fox gasped like a landed fish.

"What?!"

Falco was startled out of sleep.

"Who? What? Wanna? Whee?" He mumbled.

"Falco, wake up! Peppy says that Slippy's healing way fast but that his heart's gonna fail!"

"What?!" Falco snapped fully awake. "Peppy, is this true?"

"I'm afraid it is, Falco. If they can't stabilize him, he's going to die anyway."

"So, basically, he's going into cardiac arrest because he's healing too fast?!"

"That's what I'm saying, yes."

"That makes no fucking sense!" Falco swore loudly. Fox jumped slightly at the sound.

"Well, he is a frog." Fox suggested lamely.

"That makes even less sense!" Falco snapped. "But, what do I know; I'm not a doctor or anything."

"Maybe they can find a donor." Peppy said.

"Don't heart donors usually have to be dead people? I mean, I don't know many people who are living without their heart." Fox said the last part rather sarcastically.

"No, Fox, they're going to find one laying around in a junkyard." Falco replied with the same touch of sarcasm.

"Shut up, Falco."

"You're telling _me _to shut up, Fox?"

"Guys, guys!" Peppy interjected. "Calm down! I know tensions are high but we have to be strong here!"

Falco sighed. "You're right, Peppy, I'm sorry. I'm just... Gah! Slippy's in the hospital, y'know?"

"Yeah, I... sorry Peppy. Sorry, Falco. I guess I still think part of this is my fault."

"How many times we have to tell you? It's not your fault, nor will it ever. There was nothing you could have done."

"I know. I... I know." Fox stared blankly at the door. "It's just... I know that somewhere beyond that door, Slippy's laying in a stark white bed while people in lab coats stick needles in him and sew him up like an old rag doll. He's probably in a lot of pain, even with the anesthetic, and on top of that, his heart is working too hard and is apparently shutting down. It scares me. It terrifies me, knowing that I might just lose him. That _we _might lose him. He's always been there for us and..." Fox fell silent.

"And you're afraid. I understand, Fox."

"God, Falco, of all people, I thought you'd be the one who doesn't understand."

"I understand more than you think, Fox. More than I'd like to admit, in fact."

Fox looked at Falco seriously.

"Falco? When you came back to Team Star Fox, you tried to make us believe is was purely monetary. Why?"

Falco smiled. Well, it was more of a twitchy smirk. "Because I knew I'd never live it down if you knew how much I cared."


End file.
